Only When I Sleep
by mskitsune
Summary: Chapter 6 up! RuHaru; find out why rukawa's always sleeping... and who he dreams of... chap 6: for Yukie Shibahime
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Slam Dunk. I own Yukie Shibahime.

author's notes: in the prologue, rukawa is acting different because that was how he really acted before shohoku, and before yukie's departure.

**Only When I Sleep**

**Chapter 1**

**[Prologue Part 1]**

Rukawa Kaede, then 14 years old, walked up to the girl he liked -- Yukie Shibahime.

"Yukie, I bought you some flowers," he said shyly, offering a bouquet of daisies. "Happy Birthday."

Yukie looked at him, her best friend, and hugged him. "Arigato Kaede."

Rukawa blushed. "Yukie..."

"Yes, Kaede-kun?" she said, looking at the daisies she had taken from his hand.

"I like you, uh, I mean, I like you, as in not only as best friend...you know..." His face was flushed.

"Kaede," Yukie whispered. "You know I like someone else."

"Yes, but he's not the one for you! He doesn't even know you exist!" Rukawa said.

Yukie laughed softly, used to her bestfriend's tactlessness. "Kaede, come on and sit down beside me. You don't really like me, you know. You just don't look somewhere else. I swear, I'm your only friend. And that's okay. But to limit yourself to one person who you'll let in your heart is NOT okay."

"But you're the only one I'll like," Rukawa argued stubbornly.

"That's just because you haven't met _her_ yet. How'll you meet her if you're eternally playing basketball and hanging out with me? You should meet other people."

"See? You're the only one who understands me, Yukie."

Yukie laughed again. "That's because I'm the only person you let past your big wall of defense. Besides, can you imagine us kissing?"

Rukawa wrinkled his nose in distaste. "Come to think of it, no."

"See?" Yukie hugged her confused best friend and smiled at him. "Don't be in a hurry to get into a relationship, Kaede. She'll come at the right time. Be patient, you're good at that, you know."

*************************

That night, Rukawa flopped on his bed and turned off the lamp besides his bed. Okay, so maybe he _was_ in a hurry to get into a relationship. Who could blame him?

In a few minutes, he was fast asleep, even snoring gently. But he didn't have a dreamless sleep -- instead, his mind was filled with colorful scenes focusing on two people...

"Rukawa!" she greeted. Rukawa tried to look closely but he couldn't see her face. All he knew was that it was _her_. She grabbed his hand and they started to walk. Rukawa couldn't aptly describe the happiness that he was feeling. They talked about everything under the sun, never running out of any topic. He was happy.

Rukawa woke up and he sat up on his bed thinking about his dream. He usually didn't recall his dreams, but this one was so vivid that it seemed almost like a memory.

**************************

"Kaede-kun?" Yukie said after class as they were walking home. "Is anything the matter? You seem perturbed."

Rukawa looked at his bestfriend and told her all about the dream. "What do you think that was all about?"

"I think it means something good," Yukie replied, smiling.

When they were at Yukie's gate, Yukie stopped and looked up at Rukawa sadly. "Kaede...I have some, er, good news."

"What?" Rukawa asked suspiciously.

"I...Otoosan got a better job in America, and we're moving."

"Nani?" Shock was apparent from Rukawa's face.

"I'll write, of course. Don't frown, Kaede. This is really good for us 'cause it would mean a higher salary for dad."

"But..."

"Be happy for me Kaede-kun."

"..."

Yukie opened the gate and went to the front door leaving Rukawa standing near the gate, staring at her dumbly. Yukie apparently forgot to say something so she went back to Rukawa and said, "Kaede-kun, promise me one thing."

"Promise you what?"

"Promise me that you'll find another friend, and that you won't be a loner...okay?"

"Okay."

**********************

author's notes: let me do some explaining. after a week, Yukie went to America with her family, leaving Rukawa very sad... This leaves Rukawa angry at FATE/LIFE for stealing his best friend, his only friend actually, and that's why he breaks his promise to Yukie about not being a loner.

After three weeks since Yukie's departure, he started to dream about _the girl_ again. First, he dreamed about her once or twice a week, and then everyday, and then everytime he slept, he would dream about her. All those times, he would never see her face...


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Slam Dunk. I own Yukie Shibahime.

**Only When I Sleep**

**Chapter 2**

**[Prologue Part 2]**

Haruko Akagi, then 14 years old, ran up to her brother.

"Oniichan..."

"Imootosan...why are you crying?" Takenori Akagi asked the girl crying in his arms. He hugged her and patted her back soothingly. "Tell your oniichan what happened."

"Sato..girl...date..turn me down..." Haruko said in between sobs.

Somehow, Akagi understood that his little sister was turned down by her crush, Sato.

"Now, now Haruko..."

********************

That night, Haruko stared at the ceiling of her bedroom. She couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned, but her restlessness wouldn't disappear. She got up, looked out the window and stared at the peaceful heavens.

A falling star.

A wish! Haruko smiled.

_I wish I'd find my man..._

Haruko giggled at her silliness and jumped happily on her bed, and slept.

In a few minutes, she was fast asleep, even snoring gently. But she didn't have a dreamless sleep -- instead, her mind was filled with colorful scenes focusing on two people...

"Haruko-chan," _he_ said. She looked at him, but she couldn't see his face. It was _him_, her _man_. She held out her hand and he took it -- their fingers laced together and Haruko felt as if that was where her fingers belonged. They talked about everything under the sun, never running out of any topic. She was happy.

Haruko woke up and sat up on her bed thinking about her dream. She usually didn't recall her dreams, but this one was so vivid that it seemed almost like a memory.

*****************

author's notes: Unlike Rukawa, Haruko only dreamed about _him_ once. Rukawa dreams about _her_ everytime he goes to sleep, and that's why he likes to go to sleep, because that's the only time he sees _her_.

However, Haruko does not forget about the man of her dreams.

Now do me a favor and submit a review. ^o^


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: (and this goes for everything I write about Slam Dunk) I do not own Slam Dunk. I own Yukie Shibahime.

**Only When I Sleep**

**Chapter 3**

[Saturday; headed to practice]

Rukawa Kaede was sleeping peacefully. Naturally, he was dreaming about _her_. She was wearing a mint green sundress and she looked really pretty, he thought. He woke up when he crashed and wrapped himself around a post, the front tire of his bike bent.

Baka. How many times must he tell himself that? He hated crashing his beloved bike. He had accumulated so many scratches from all the times he fell asleep on his bike that he had sworn so many times that he would not sleep on his bike anymore...but he couldn't help it. It was the only time he saw her.

_Only when I sleep_, he thought. He started to pedal again, and this time, instead of sleeping, he thought about his dream.

He always thought she was pretty, like a burst of sunshine.

Ugh. He was getting too poetic.

Besides, how could he think she was pretty when he couldn't even see her face? For all he knew the girl in his dreams could be a faceless ghost of some sort.

**********************

Despite Rukawa's small accident, he still arrived early for basketball practice. He entered the gym quietly, after parking his bike of course, then changed to his jersey and started to practice.

The gym door swished open and in walked Haruko. 

"Ah, konnichiwa, Rukawa," she greeted, blushing prettily.

He ignored her, as usual, and she silently scolded herself. What was the use? No matter how many times she talked to him (or at least tried to) she would never hear a response from him. She sighed in defeat.

Where were the others? She looked at her watch.

1:43 pm.

She was 17 minutes too early for practice. (A/N: she's Ayako's assistant) She sat down on one of the benches near the court and stared at RUkawa, who was still practising by himself.

Why did she even like him? He was a jerk. yeah, that's what he was. A cold-blooded jerk.

But despite the number of times she repeated that thought in her head, a stubborn little voice in her mind would reply, "we both know that isn't true, Haruko...You're just saying that..."

The sound of the gym door opening broke into her thoughts. Kogure, Akagi, Mitsui, Ayako and the others entered the gym.

"Konnichiwa, Haruko-chan!" Ayako greeted, sitting down on her usual chair located beside the bench Haruko was sitting on.

"Konnichiwa," Haruko mumbled in reply.

"Is there a problem? You look...forlorn," Ayako said, peering closely at her assistant.

"Betsuni." Haruko smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.

**********************

[3:13; Shohoku gym; break]

The gym door slammed open and a voice said, "Kaede-kun!"

Heads swiveled, searching for the voice. It belonged to the girl standing by the gym door.

Haruko stared at her.

She wasn't cute, nor was she pretty. She was...beautiful.

She had long black hair that reached her waist, and she also had black eyes to match. Her skin was fair, her height, just right; not too small, not too tall.

She was beautiful, Haruko thought again.

Ayako's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Kaede-kun?" Ayako asked disbelievingly.

The girl standing near the gym door strolled in, and Haruko could see the confidence in her steps. She walked up to Ayako and said, "Gomen, I didn't know there would be anyone else here aside from Kaede...Where is he? I really need to see him."

Then, seeing Ayako was still staring at her, she introduced herself. "I'm Yukie Shibahime. You are?"

"Ayako, the team manager of the Shohoku's basketball team," Ayako replied, smiling. (A/N: sorry, I don't know what Ayako's full name is...Can't find it anywhere...Does anyone know her full name? Please tell me.)

"Ah, Ayako. And you are?" Yukie asked, turning to Haruko.

"Haruko Akagi, Ayako's assistant." Haruko tried her best to glare...Who was this Yukie? She was beautiful, she was nice, and she called Rukawa...Kaede-kun.

_Haruko, you're envious of her!_

"Ah, hello Haruko! It's nice to meet you! Where's Kaede?"

Haruko pointed to Rukawa, who was mindlessly playing by himself at one side of the court.

"Kaede-kun!" she yelled happily. She then ran over to Rukawa and gave him a tight bear hug.

"Shi-chan?" Rukawa asked. (A/N: Shi-chan is from her name, SHIbahime.)

"Kaede! I couldn't wait until you got home so I went over...your maid said you were here, and here I am!"

"Yukie, you're here!" Rukawa whispered at the girl in front of him.

"Yeah, didn't I just say that?" Yukie grinned at her best friend. "It's your break right? Stop practising for a while..."

Rukawa half-glared at his friend. "I'm practising."

"Dozo, Kaede-kun." Yukie looked at him with a sad-puppy-look on her face.

"Fine, fine."

Yukie half-dragged Rukawa to a bench and started to talk.

Meanwhile, everyone was staring in amazement at what had just happened.

_Rukawa spoke?_ Haruko thought.

**********************

"Shi-chan, you know I'm really glad you finally came home, but did you have to come here while I'm practising?" Rukawa said.

Yukie punched him on the shoulder. "Don't be mean. I was just excited. Besides, I didn't know that there would be other people here. By the way, I have a question...Why are all of your teammates looking at us strangely? Is there something wrong with what I'm wearing? Do I have a smudge on my face? Oooh, maybe you have a girlfriend and they think you're cheating on her!"

Rukawa sweatdropped.

"Shush, chatterbox," Rukawa said, using his childhood nickname for her.

"Well?" Yukie asked when Rukawa didn't answer her question. "I repeat, why are they looking at us strangely?"

"Because they think this is unusual."

"They think what is unusual? You talking to a girl?"

"No, just me talking."

Yukie glared at him. "Explain."

********************

[3:30 pm]

Ayako blew her whistle and its shrill sound echoed throughout the gym.

"MINNA-SAN! Let's resume practice!" she yelled.

Rukawa stood up and looked at Yukie.

"We have a lot of catching up to do, you know," Yukie said. "I'll wait 'til your practice is finished. I'll just watch, okay?"

"You're going to _watch_ me play?"

"Don't tell me you're shy, Kaede-kun," Yukie said, giggling.

Rukawa glared at her and in response, she stuck out her tongue.

********************

[3:48 pm]

Yukie slowly approached the pretty brown-haired girl sitting down on the bench.

"Hello, Haruko, right?" Yukie sat down beside her.

Haruko smiled. "Hai. Yukie."

"Wow, Kaede-kun's actually great!" she commented.

Haruko felt a pang of envy -- this girl, this beautiful girl, called him _Kaede-kun_.

"Hai," Haruko replied. "He'll probably be Shohoku's ace."

"Really? Sugoi," Yukie said, obviously proud of her best friend's achievement.

Just then, the rukawa-brigade started their usual cheer (Love me, love me, rukawa!).

"Who in the world are those?" Yukie asked, wrinkling her nose in amusement.

"Ah, we like to call them the rukawa-brigade," Haruko said, smiling in spite of the feeling of envy still inside of her.

"Kaede has a cheering group just for him?" Yukie chuckled.

"Yes, well...You should see the whole brigade when there's a game!" Haruko smiled, then because Yukie's laughter was so infectious, she started laughing herself.

********************

Author's notes: you better read this! i'll be explaining some things...

Rukawa is NOT OOC in this fic. (ooooohh...getting defensive...) It just so happens that he talks to his best friend. (who wouldn't) He actually SPEAKS but he stopped when Yukie went away because he was so angry at life, yadda yadda yadda. So now that Yukie's back, he spoke...but only to Yukie of course. ^_^

also, Yukie's NOT a Mary Sue (getting defensive again...) She'll also be very close with Haruko...they're both so nice, you know? ^o^ they'll be really good friends.

about matsui and fuji (haruko's friends), let me take them off the scene, okay? (smiles devilishly) so don't be surprised if haruko's alone at certain scenes.

yeah, yeah...it's short...i'm very sorry! i know i should be making longer chapters but i haven't got the time. i've got too much schoolwork. (that i don't do anyway hehehehe) i'll just update soon.

don't forget to give me a review! arigato!

oh, by the way, here's my reply to your reviews for chapter 1 (kinda late):

to **teh tarik**: yup, that girl in Rukawa's dream is supposedly Haruko. although he doesn't know it...YET.

to **renei**: as i said, i should be making longer chapters. should being the operative word. ^_^'

to **diwata**: yeah, finally a ruharu! i've been racking my brain for soooo long for a ruharu story...then when i was relaxing, the idea just popped in my head. Yukie's a true friend, trust me. i'm thinking of pairing her with someone nice afterward...

for chapter 2:

to **afrokane**: i'll check out your site...and that's a promise!

to **rook**: nooooo!!!! rukawa's not OOC!!! i refuse to believe that.... hehehe...well, actually, you're right. but i'm right too. ^_^' i'm not making any sense, am i? he'll be the rukawa we all know when he's in shohoku.

to **diwata**: okay...i'll just update faster. thanks!

to **jen**: oh, refer to my answer to **renei**. hehehe...arigato!

to **libra_gal**: (sob) okay, okay...i promise i'll make the next one longer (due to insistent demand) hehe

to **rokawa**: yeah, that's basically what i wanted to answer with the fic. why does rukawa sleep so much? it's not normal anymore, as diwata said.

arigato minna-san!

**--mskitsune--**

www.livejournal.com/users/mskitsune


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: (and this goes for everything I write about Slam Dunk) I do not own Slam Dunk. I own Yukie Shibahime.

**Only When I Sleep**

**Chapter 4**

[4:30 pm; saturday]

Ayako blew her whistle and declared, "minna-san! practice is over!"

The players gathered the basketballs and returned them to the basketball rack. Rukawa also returned the basketball he was using, much to the surprise of his teammates -- he often practised for an hour or so after the regular practice.

He walked over to Yukie, who was animatedly telling a story (about her stay in America) to Haruko.

"Shi-chan, let's go," Rukawa said quietly.

"What's wrong with your voice?" Yukie teased.

Rukawa glared at her.

"I was just about to invite Haruko to eat ice cream with us. My treat of course." Yukie grinned.

Haruko automatically shook her head. _Two's a company, three's a crowd._

"No thank you, I--"

"Dozo Haruko-chan," Yukie interrupted, again putting on a sad-puppy-look on her face.

_From the expression on Haruko's face, she's crumbling_, Rukawa observed.

"Uh, well, I should leave the two of you, I imagine you two have a lot of catching up to do," Haruko said, uncomfortable. She was looking only at Yukie, avoiding Rukawa's gaze.

Yukie noticed this, of course. "Haruko-chan, why don't you look at Rukawa? I mean, after all, you are addressing the two of us," she said bluntly.

Haruko blushed. "ah..."

"Shi-chan," Rukawa cut in, sparing Haruko the embarrassment of having to answer.

"Maybe next time, I promise," Haruko sputtered. She smiled feebly and hurriedly went to her oniichan.

"What was that all about?" Rukawa asked.

"What do you mean?" Yukie asked, genuinely confused.

"Why'd you invite her?"

Yukie got more confused. "Why? Is she some sort of mad-woman?"

Rukawa glanced around and saw that almost everybody was looking at them. "Let's get out of here."

********************

[4:48 pm; Dairy Queen]

[A/N: surely they have dairy queen there?]

"Kaede-kun, what's gotten into you? You know, you have a lot of explaining to do...What was that you meant earlier when you said something weird about you talking?" Yukie asked in between mouthfuls of chocolate ice cream. [A/N: i'm torturing myself...]

Rukawa grimaced; his only response.

"Hello?" Yukie waved her hand in front of Rukawa's face.

"Shi-chan," Rukawa started, then stopped. He didn't know how to explain the situation.

"Come on, fess up."

"Remember when you first met me?"

"What is this, a trip to memory lane?" Yukie teased, but then, she saw Rukawa's serious expression and she sighed.

_[flashback]_

Yukie, a kid of 10 years, walked up to the boy who was sitting silently on the swing. It was recess and everybody was playing, except the boy who was alone.

"Hello! I'm new here! My name is Yukie Shibahime. You are?"

The boy stared at her.

"um, did you hear me?"

His blue eyes just stared back. He pushed his feet against the grass and the swing moved.

[A/N: i read somewhere that rukawa has blue eyes in fanfics but in the anime he has brown eyes. never noticed that, i'm not much of an observer. hehe. wala lang.]

"I was talking to you. Why are you so rude?"

He ignored her and kept on swinging, looking straight ahead.

"Fine!" Yukie stomped away and sat on a bench near a tree.

A girl approached her and introduced herself as Minako Keichi. "You're new, aren't you?"

"Hai. My name's Yukie Shibahime. It's very nice to meet you."

"I see you were just talking to our classmate," Minako said, smiling.

"He's our classmate? He's rude."

"Don't take it personally. He's like that with everyone."

"What's _his_ problem anyway?" Yukie frowned.

"We don't really know. He doesn't have any friends, you know. We don't really like him," Minako whispered.

At that moment, Yukie's anger turned into sympathy for the boy.

___________________

Class had ended and they were all walking home. Yukie searched for the boy she had met earlier and was glad when she saw him walking towards the path she about to take. [A/N: gee...that sounds funny]

She quickly joined him and said, "Hello. We met earlier. Remember? My name's Yukie."

The boy ignored her again and simply kept on walking, his backpack slung over his left shoulder.

"Are you an agelast?"

The boy stopped walking and stared at her. _He seems to have a habit of staring at people_, Yukie thought.

"What's an agelast?"

Yukie smiled. "Someone who never laughs."

"I laugh," the boy said huffily. He started to walk again and Yukie walked beside him.

After a few minutes of walking silently, the boy complained, "why are you following me?"

"I'm not following you," Yukie said innocently. "I'm going home and home happens to be this way."

The boy glared at her and Yukie felt a little guilty for pestering him. Just a little, though. [A/N: little did she know that the boy would grow up to be a person who did nothing but glare at people...hehe]

"Well don't walk so near me then," the boy said, frowning at her.

Yukie put on her sad-puppy-look and looked at him beseechingly. [A/N: yup, she's been practising that for ages! and it ALWAYS works with the boy...it will ALWAYS work...hehe]

"Fine, do whatever you want," the boy decided.

"You never answered me."

"What?"

"What's your name?"

The boy looked at Yukie and her sad-puppy-look and relented. "Rukawa Kaede."

"That's a nice name."

They walked silently again until they reached Yukie's house.

"This is where I live," Yukie said, pointing to her house. "Do you want to come in and play a computer game?"

Rukawa shook his head.

Yukie's happy expression faded. She had hoped that he would agree.

"I have to go. I will see you tomorrow."

"Ok. Tomorrow then, Rukawa?" Yukie's expression was now imploring.

"Yes. You can call me Kaede," Rukawa said, smiling a little bit.

"Really?" Yukie grinned. "Okay, Kaede-kun! Sayonara!"

"Sayonara, Shi-chan."

Yukie was touched. _He remembers my whole name!_

He smiled fully (but still somewhat shyly) and walked home.

_[end of flashback]_

"Yes, well what about it?" Yukie said.

"I didn't talk to anyone back then, before I met you."

"Yes, I know that," Yukie replied.

"Well, I sort of went back to that after you went to America," Rukawa confessed.

"NANI???" Several people turned their heads to see who yelled.

"I can see you're overwhelmed," Rukawa muttered.

***********************

author's notes:

hello peeps! er, don't know what to say...

to **diwata**: i still can't think of a guy to pair off with Yukie... any suggestions? (i'm already planning a sequel...hehe)

to **rook**: you asked how i would bring haruko and rukawa together...well...i can't answer right now...you'll see soon!

to **S.G.O.**: here it is! thanks!

to **renei**: rukawa doesn't exactly _see_ haruko's face when he dreams of her...have you had that kind of dream before? i've had plenty. i got the idea for this fanfic from one of my dreams: i dreamed of my "boyfriend" but he was faceless, still, i thought he was handsome. weird, huh? about the author's notes...thanks for the advice. i promise i'll keep it to the beginnings and ends of each chapter -- starting next time! arigato!

**--mskitsune--**

www.livejournal.com/users/mskitsune


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: (and this goes for everything I write about Slam Dunk) I do not own Slam Dunk. I own Yukie Shibahime.

by the way, starting monday, Yukie's a student of Shohoku High.

**Only When I Sleep**

**Chapter 5**

[continuation of chapter 4's last scene]

"I knew it!" Yukie half-shrieked. "I knew something was wrong -- there was something about the letters you sent me...AAAGH!"

Yukie slammed her forehead on the table, again eliciting several stares from the other people in the ice cream shop. Rukawa had to smile at his friend's action. Somehow, the act seemed natural with Yukie doing it.

"What are you smiling at?" Yukie huffed. She stabbed her ice cream (quite savagely) a couple of times. "So you're telling me," she eyed Rukawa warily," that you haven't made any friends in Shohoku."

"Yes."

"AAAARRGH!"

Several people glared at them.

"We MUST do something to remedy the situation!" Yukie declared.

"We?"

"Yes...WE!"

Yukie stabbed her ice cream once again.

[Monday 7:26 am]1

Yukie waited impatiently for Rukawa outside her house. She tapped her right foot until it hurt; she then tapped her left foot. It was starting to hurt when Rukawa arrived.

"Finally! Good grief, what took you so long? You have a BIKE, for crying out loud, you--" Yukie stopped abruptly when she noticed a cut on Rukawa's left cheek. She reached up to touch it; it was bleeding lightly.

"Where'd you get this?"

"Aaah...I had a small accident."

"Nani?" Yukie's eyes widened.

"Er, I...ran into a fire hydrant."

"How did that happen? You've always been conscientious."

"Let's go," Rukawa hastily changed the subject.

"Kae-kun...are you hiding something?"

_Shit. It's that SPL again. (sad-puppy-look)...will...not...succumb...will not..._

"Shi-chan, you remember what I told you before you told me you were going to America?"

"Not really."

"I'll remind you on the way to school."

[9:30; classroom]

Haruko doodled on her math notebook as their sensei droned on and on about parabolas. She normally listened to her sensei but her mind was still filled with thoughts of Yukie and Rukawa.

_Were they a couple?_ She frowned. She had seen them that morning on the way to school (she was dropped off to school with akagi by their okaasan) -- Yukie reached up to touch Rukawa's face and it looked as if they were about to kiss. Haruko immediately looked away of course.

"Pssst!"

Haruko turned to her right and her classmate beside her handed her a note.

She glanced at the sensei -- he was still preoccupied with his drawing on the blackboard so she opened the folded note and read the contents.

_Haruko-chan, let's have lunch together please! _:)

_--yukie_

Haruko turned and looked at Yukie, who was seated beside her (Haruko) seatmate. Yukie was staring at her pleadingly. Haruko nodded.

_She's probably going to tell me that Rukawa's courting her...or worse, they're already a couple!_ Haruko groaned to herself.

[11:44 am canteen]

Haruko and Yukie were already eating when Rukawa passed by.

"Kae-kun!" Yukie shouted over the noise of the canteen.

Rukawa searched for Yukie and when he found her, he approached them.

"Remember what we talked about on our way to school?" Yukie said sweetly.

Haruko's chopsticks fell on her plate and she flushed. She looked down at her plate and picked up her chopsticks. She didn't want them to see her expression when Yukie told her that they were already a couple...

Rukawa glared at Yukie.

"You promised, didn't you?" Yukie smirked. "And surely you wouldn't want to break your promise AGAIN." She glared at him murderously.

Rukawa didn't move an inch from where he stood. He just glared. _I'm a doahou_, he thought.

_[flashback -- same day, 7:35 am, on the way to school (on their bikes)]_

"Kae-kun...this isn't normal you know. Your silence, I mean."

"I really don't care, Shi-chan."

"How can you say that?" Yukie was distressed.

"..."

"See! You're doing it again!" Yukie complained. "Are you content with talking only to me and your family?"

"Yes."

"Wrong answer, buster. You _have_ to do something about it!"

"I thought you said _we_."

Yukie ignored his comment. "Why, it's absolutely imperative that you do so! I'll support you Kae-kun..."

"Why do I have to change? I like the way I am."

"I'm not asking you to change your personality or your principles...Just saying that you should get out more and talk to people. Find a new friend. I won't always be with you, you know."

"I don't need another friend," Rukawa grumbled.

"Yes, you do! You're just too stubborn to admit it! You're too set in your 'independent' ways. I know you _too_ well so don't give me that crappy talk."

Rukawa found himself silently agreeing with his best friend. So he needed and wanted other friends. It was kind of hard to find one what with all those people wanting to be with him to bask in his popularity and "glory."

It was as if Yukie had read his mind.

"Kaede-kun, I know you're probably worried because you think everybody out there wants to be Rukawa-the-basketball-player's friend and not the real Rukawa's friend. Am I right?"

Rukawa nodded reluctantly. He didn't like to admit his weaknesses and fears, even to his best friend.

"Promise me Kae-kun."

"Promise you what?"

"Promise me you'll talk to people excluding me."

"..."

"Please...Kae-kun! You know you want to, deep inside..." Yukie pleaded.

_Will...not...look...at...her..._

Rukawa glanced at Yukie and saw the SPL.

_dammit._

"Fine! I promise!" Rukawa half-shouted.

Since Rukawa wasn't paying attention to the road (because he looked at Yukie) he failed to see a cat crossing the road and almost ran over it. He tumbled onto the sidewalk and Yukie helped him up. After a few minutes, they were at Shohoku High. They went over to the bike rack and placed their bikes there, locking the chains of the bike to the bike rack.

"By the way, Kae-kun, you haven't explained your other accident earlier," Yukie reminded him, pointing to the cut on his left cheek. "I thought you were gonna tell me on the way to school."

To her surprise, Rukawa's cheeks turned pink.

Yukie gasped comically. "Why...you're actually blushing!"

"Oh stop it Shi-chan."

"Kae-kun is blushing! Kae-kun is blushing," she chanted.

"Shut up, chatterbox. I'm trying to tell you why you always see me sleeping."

Yukie frowned. "Yeah, I have noticed that. Back then you didn't sleep much and now you're either sleeping or playing basketball."

Rukawa sighed. He was a bit embarrassed about the topic. "I keep on dreaming about this girl..."

"A girl!" Yukie's eyes lit up.

"After you, uh, kindly rejected me...Remember?"

Yukie snapped her fingers. "Now I do! The faceless girl?"

"Yes. You even said it meant something good..."

"Yes, so I did. You still dream about her?" Yukie asked, incredulous.

Rukawa nodded. "Everytime I sleep. And it frustrates me that I can't see her face. All I know is that I think she's pretty. And she's nice. And we talk about everything... And I'm always happy."

"Woah. That's freaky Kae-kun."

"And I seem to remember EVERY detail...it's always the same though. I'm sitting or doing something then she arrives and holds out her hand. I take it and then we walk somewhere and we would just talk. She understands everything I tell her. I'm obsessing." Rukawa scowled.

"And you haven't met anyone that resembles her?"

"If I had, I would be quite happy right now, don't you think?"

"Hmmm...You'll find her. I'm pretty sure. If it's fate, that is."

"I wish she was real," Rukawa confessed.

"Aaaaww. You'll find her sooner or later, Kae-kun."

_[end of flashback]_

Rukawa sighed. _There is absolutely NO way I'm ever going to win against Yukie._

"Rukawa, have you had lunch yet?" Yukie asked. "Maybe you would like to join us?" She motioned to the empty seat beside Haruko.

Rukawa glared and reluctantly sat beside Haruko. Haruko stiffened in response when his arm brushed against hers.

"So, how was your morning classes?" Yukie asked Rukawa in a motherly tone.

"Fine," Rukawa mumbled, aware of the people looking at them, watching the scene.

"Is that all you could say?" Yukie asked, her voice encouraging.

"I slept all morning."

Haruko kept on staring at her food, pushing it around on her plate.

Yukie saw that she wasn't looking so she silently motioned to Rukawa that he should try to talk with Haruko.

Rukawa glowered at Yukie, who then put on her SPL.

_Damn._

"Haruko," Rukawa said.

Haruko looked up, surprised. So were the other people near them.

He couldn't do it. He couldn't speak to someone else. _Coward_. "I have to go," Rukawa decided. "I'll see you after practice, Shi-chan. Unless you'd like to watch."

Yukie's SPL suddenly seemed sadder...

_Fine._

"I'll see you then at practice later, Haruko."

He glared at Yukie one last time before standing up and leaving.

Yukie was grinning from ear to ear while Haruko was stunned.

*****************

yahoo! i've finished chapter 5!

1 I don't know what time school starts in Japan so i'll make it 8am for purposes of this story.

to **libra_gal**: hehe...rukawa isn't ignoring haruko anymore! are you happy? i certainly am! (throws confetti happily)

to **afrokane**: Yukie didn't actually _change_ Kae-kun, she just helps him bring out the real rukawa. you're right, the SPL plays a very important role in this fic. pretty silly, huh? ^o^

to **diwata**: ooh. so i was right about rukawa having blue eyes...i was surprised to read in the website that he had brown eyes in the anime. funnily though, i believed him/her (the person who made the website) for quite a while. hehe. i'm glad to know that i'm not the only one who dreams like that :)

to **maggio**: hey! you read my fic! thanks! er, actually, haruko and rukawa haven't met before...it's one of those destiny-fate things... i don't know how to explain it...guess you'll just have to wait for the next chapters! (hehe...)

to **Ginny W**: here you go! hope you liked this chapter too!

****************

a little conversation with Kae-kun:

**mskitsune:** (happily typing) let's see...what do i say next? hmmm.

Rukawa enters the room and sees mskitsune.

**Rukawa:** you! (points at mskitsune) WHY? WHY did you make the SPL impossible to resist? I feel like a moron. Besides, that's dumb! that doesn't really happen in real life!

**mskitsune: **(sticks out her tongue) too bad cause i'm the author! i can do whatever i want with you! (ooh kinky) and you can't do anything about it! (laughs maniacally)

**Rukawa:** and would you PLEASE tell me who i am dreaming of?

**mskitsune:** i can't...it would ruin the whole story. and even if i can, i wouldn't! hehehe...

**rukawa:** fine...i'll just sleep...

[he slumps on the desk beside the computer and starts to drool...now you know why he's drooling! he's drooling over haruko-chan! ;) hehe]

mskitsune starts to type again.

--mskitsune--

www.livejournal.com/users/mskitsune


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: (and this goes for everything I write about Slam Dunk) I do not own Slam Dunk. I own Yukie Shibahime.

**Chapter 6**

**Yukie Shibahime**

You passed by me in the hallway and I suddenly remembered the time we bumped into each other. You blushed when you recognized me and you quickly apologized. however, before I could say anything, you smiled and ran off [to look for Rukawa, I assume.]

I really didn't know the feeling of envy until I saw you and Rukawa together. Pure envy -- which is totally out of character of me. How long will this feeling stay inside of me?

*************

I heard you got a perfect score in your last math test. [smiles]

so you're good at math, huh? But bad in science and history, from what Haruko told me. Somehow, that makes you more reachable -- it's nice to know that the girl I'm in love with has weaknesses too.

_wait_.

Love?

since when did I start thinking of loving you?

I guess I didn't think -- it just happened.

************

I dreamed of you last night. I dreamed of the first time I saw you. You entered the gym with a confident smile on your face; you certainly had everyone's attention.

Especially mine.

___________________

A/N:

so...can you guess who it is? yahoo! i finally found chapter 6 and the start of chapter 7! [i thought i lost it]...

i won't be able to make updates as fast as before cause i'm about to have my finals [in one week] so i'm pretty busy with projects and all that. i'll probably be free on april 16. [tagal pa...sigh...]

oh, and you know why the SPL's so hard to resist? Because Minako put a spell on it to make it irresistable! nyahahaha! [er, i'm referring to my "A day in the life of whom?" story. it's another RuHaru]

--mskitsune--

www.livejournal.com/users/mskitsune


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